Finally figured out Google Merchant

[TMS Clint]

Just a couple of notes to add...

In their last email, 3dcart included a link to their knowledgebase on how to add additional fields to your Google Merchant Feed.

For those of you just starting this process, the following two links might be helpful: the full list of attributes you can include in your Google merchant feed, and the attribute list for importing/exporting from 3dcart.

One problem I just encountered today that I wanted to share relates to the "Quantity" attribute. Google is interested in a numerical value for this attribute. I tried pairing it with 3dcart's "Stock" attribute, but was given one of two values in my generated feed: 'In Stock' and 'Out of Stock.' These values are suitable for the "Availability" attribute in a Google Merchant Feed. Right now I'm supplying that attribute instead of the quantity. As of now I do not know how to provide a numerical quantity without using one of the extra fields.

Also, I wanted to share how I include variable shipping. For the most part, we offer free shipping on everything. However, there are a handful of items that are too big to offer free shipping. We've specified in our Merchant account that we offer free shipping and use one of the extra fields as a "shipping" attribute as well. We do not match it to the "shipping" attribute from 3dcart, though -- we match it one of the "Extra_Field"(s). That way, when left blank it shows up as free shipping on Google Shopping results. We only have to add the shipping costs of those handful of items in the extra field (as well as the regular shipping field for the purposes of calculating what a customer owes).

[Mark]

How do you change the expiration date on the Google feed?
Ours is wrong, and constantly errors out.
Thanks.

[TMS Clint]

Expiration Date

Since 'Expiration Date' is a recommended field and not a required one, you can delete this field all-together. Google will automatically set your items to expire in 30 days without it.

The only other way I can think of would be to set a constant value for all results, but that would have to be updated before every upload.

[QuirkyBaby]

Has anyone figured out a workaround for MPN/UPCs on items that have different size or pattern options?

For example, I sell these hats:

SunDay Afternoons Kids Play Hat Cream Sand

They come in four sizes, so the size is an option template. But each size and color combo has its own UPC. As per the 3dcart setup, I can't list those, since there's only one field in the product listing that's mappable to UPC! And it would make no sense at all to list each size/color combo on its own product page as there are 8 colors and to have 32 listings would be beyond annoying.

Same holds true for other products where the variable is the color or pattern -- I can't figure out a way to add the UPCs for each color, etc.

[TMS Clint]

Re: MPN/UPCs on multiple similar items

I know that for MPN, you can put in multiple results — separated by commas. I just assumed you could do the same with UPC.

[Pecos]

Here's a screenshot of my settings also. Hope this helps! :)

Thanks! These settings worked along with using the extra field feature for product_type that GMC like's so much.

-Pecos
Terra Savia Winery

:D

[sportscenterisnext]

Finally I figured out how to get our store up and running. As someone else suggested by going to Marketing > Shopping Engines > Google Base / Froggle, it worked like a champ, Google accepted all 248 of my items.

Google also informs me I have 1 issue, I've tried several work arounds without success. Google claims I'm missing one attribute (brand). Within my customized fields I've tried:

Field -- Alias
Manufacturer -- Manufacturer
Constant -- Brand
Manufacturer -- Brand

The Google Gods are not happy any suggestions?

[TMS Clint]

RE: Brand

Mapping the "Manufacturer" field with the "Brand" Alias should have worked assuming you include a manufacturer for all off your items. I would try it again – be sure to clear your cache beforehand so you are sure to generate a completely new file. The feed generator can get sluggish/stuck and generate the same exact feed even after you've made changes, and clearing your cache fixes that.

[elightbox]

Product.asp

I just noticed that the url_link in google feed generates pages with this type of link
http://www.yoursite.com/product.asp?itemid=79

The site map and the product index both have the regular
http://www.yoursite.com/productxxxxxx_p_70.html

I noticed that google had one of our products listed with both URLs. This does not seem right to me. It seems like the Froogle Feed URL should match that of the site map, and product index.
I would appreciate anyone's comment?

[elightbox]

I don't understand it. 3dcart added the Canonical tag to avoid this same issue, then we send a duplicate URL to Google!!?

This is what support said.

As Technical Support, I can only provide the information about how it is done, not why. If you would prefer more information about "why" it was done this way by our Programming Dept, we can forward this ticket to see if more info is available.

I requested more detail from the "Programming Dept", I will post what they say if or when I get a response.

[Kanoa9321]

anything happen with the URL links?

just loaded everything to google and Im going to have to go change anything.

if that can't be fixed, can we at least have the custom file name be an option, so we can just choose that.

[Kanoa9321]

what do you guys do about the product categories link for google? You leave them blank or manually go add each one in.

[Elipey]

Extended Detail to new Google Feeds

I have read with interest all of your comments. Thanks for sharing the .jpegs and .txt files as they are most helpful. My problem lies in the MFG ID field. When imported, it changes the numbers to letters and vice versa. I also noticed in the .txt feed you showed, it did the same thing in the gtin field. Does Google read this the right way. I had all but given up with this project until I saw your blog.

Any insight would be GREATLY appreciated.:)

[elightbox]

Excel will change long series of numbers into exponential values. You can deal with this in two ways:
1. when importing a text file into Excel, you will get a dialog box with different steps. in one of the steps, you can select the mfgid column and mark it as Text column (there radio buttons on the dialog box to mark what type of content the column has)
2. when entering data directly into excel put a ' (apostrophe) before the numbers especially and Excel will treat it as a text field instead of a number field.
Hope this helps.

[sisbrown34]

Missing recommended attribute: google product category

Ok Im missing product category. Does anyone know how to add this to my feed?
Thanks